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	<td><font color=#6699ff>Here are the basics for using the <b><font size=+1>Geographic Information Sharing Tool,  GIST</font></b></td>
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GIST can upload <b>KML Files Only!</b>  KMZ files (compressed binary format) will NOT work!
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<p><b>GIST now accepts PLACEMARKS, PATHS, and POLYGONS.</b> The system will <b>NOT ACCEPT</b> Image Overlays, Images Embedded into the Description field, or Z (altitude) values, which will be discarded during upload process.
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PLACEMARKS in GOOGLE EARTH, (Points, Lines, and Polygons) must be saved in KML format for submission to the GIST tool.</font>
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	<td valign=top><a href='http://earth.google.com/' title='download GoogleEarth software'><img src='graf/goog_globe.jpg'></a>
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  	<td valign=top>If you have not already done so, download and install the <a href='http://earth.google.com/' title='download GoogleEarth software'>GoogleEarth application</a>.   
           <p>Launch GoogleEarth.
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/zoom.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>Move your cursor into the upper right part of the screen.  This will turn on the ZOOM and ROTATE and TILT controls.  First ZOOM in to your area of interest by left clicking on the PLUS SIGN.  You can zoom out, by doing the same on the MINUS sign.  If the North - South orientation of the globe doesn't seem right, you can left click and drag the letter N on the rotation circle control, then release when the N is on top.  <p>(Although we will not be using it for the sharing tool, you may want to know that the horizontal bar above the rotation circle, is the tilt control.  Left clicking on the right side button, tilts the plane of the earth to show exaggerated terrain contours as if viewed from an angle.  The left side button brings the view back to a flat surface view as if looking straight down.)	</td>
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/add_folder.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>In the ADD menu, select ADD  |   FOLDER	</td>
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/add_folder_name.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>In the folder's NAME box, enter the name of the GENERAL TOPIC for your work  (for example, if you are going to enter many points of interest in Chicago, you may want to name the folder CHICAGO,  or if you are going to enter points related to Mark Twain, you may want to name the folder TWAIN).   You can also enter a DESCRIPTION of the folder (optional).  <p>hit the OK button
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/places_console.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>In the PLACES section of the navigation console (on the left) you will now see that your FOLDER has been added to the MY PLACES list.   Note that the newly added folder is ACTIVE (highlighted with a light brown background).
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/add_pmark.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>Mouse over and click on the ADD PLACEMARK button <p>(or you can accomplish the same task from the ADD menu, by selecting ADD  | PLACEMARK)</td>
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/add_pmark2.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>A blinking PLACEMARK icon will appear on the center of the map image.  Also a form will appear on the left for you to fill out the NAME and DESCRIPTION of the PLACEMARK.  <b>BEFORE</b> you fill out the form, left click and drag and release the PLACEMARK icon to the exact location that you want it to be stored.  (Note that as you drag the PLACEMARK icon around, that the latitude and longitude coordinates will be automatically updating in the placemark form).   When you are finished fixing the location of the PLACEMARK icon, fill out the NAME and DESCRIPTION in the form.  
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	<td valign=top>PLACENAME RULES:  do not use single quotes ( ' ), double quotes ( " ), or tag brackets ( <  >  ) in your Placemark NAMES or Placemark DESCRIPTIONS.  These will not be processed correctly during the GIST upload process. <p> Click OK.  <p>This will save the PLACEMARK.  Now when you left click on the PLACEMARK, you will see a balloon with the name and description appear.   If you made some kind of mistake in typing, just right click on the PLACEMARK icon, then choose PROPERTIES from the menu.  This will re-open the form and make the PLACEMARK moveable.  Alternatively, if you want to delete the placemark, you can right click on the PLACEMARK and choose CUT.
<p>Repeat this step to add all of your placemarks.
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/active_pmark.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>Notice that as each new PLACEMARK is added, it will be the ACTIVE item in the navigation console</td>
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/active_folder.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>Before saving your work, it is <b>necessary</b> to make your FOLDER the ACTIVE item in the navigation console!  You <b>must</b> do this by clicking on the FOLDER NAME in the navigation console list!   <p>(If you do not take this step, you will end up saving only a single placemark to your output file, instead of the entire folder full of placemarks!  Also be careful not to make MY PLACES the ACTIVE item, because you will end up saving all the items in all the folders listed into your output file.)</td>
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/save_folder.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>Now save your folder full of placemarks to an output file in the KML (Keyhole Markup Language) format.  From the main menu select FILE  |   SAVE  |  SAVE PLACE AS<p> this will open a typical save file window</td>
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/kml_type.jpg'>
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  	<td valign=top>You <b>must be SURE</b> to select the KML file type in the "Save as type" option!   The KMZ type is a compressed binary file that will not work at all with the GIST system!<p>When you have set the file type as KML, you can change the FILENAME if desired (the default filename is the FOLDER name you entered previously).   </td>
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	<td valign=top>FILENAME RULES:  do not use single quotes ( ' ), double quotes ( " ), or tag brackets ( <  >  )  If you have used these for your FOLDER NAME, <b>change them here before saving</b> to KML.  Note in the example shown in the image above, the FOLDER NAME ( Xi'an ) will cause an error in the GIST upload process.   Before saving, change the "File name" to ( Xian ) to enable the upload.<p>You may also choose the directory or location on your computer where you want to save the file.<p>click SAVE	
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	<td valign=top><img src='graf/style.png'>
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  	<td valign=top><b>IMPORTANT STEP!</b> GIST was written for GoogleEarth Version 3, using KML 2.0 api.  It will work for any subsequent version, <i>if you follow this step</i>:  AFTER saving the .kml file, open it in a text editor, then remove the section for the "style" definitions...all of them, until you reach the "folder" tag.  The "folder" tag and everything that follows can be left alone.  RESAVE the file as .kml (not .txt or any other format).  You can now proceed to upload the .kml file into GIST. </td>
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  	<td valign=top>Once you have successfully saved a KML file on your computer, you can proceed to the GIST login page.  From there you can simply browse for the file and upload it to the GIST database with one click.   Your submission will then be listed in the downloads section where anyone logged in to the GIST system can download it.</td>
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